She was closely followed by lawyer Jarrod “Toadie” Rebecchi (Ryan Moloney) and Harold Bishop ( Ian Smith ), who both nabbed 15 per cent of the votes.

Despite not having been in the show for more than 20 years, Kylie Minogue ‘s character Charlene Robinson came next with six per cent of the vote, with Nell Mangel (Vivean Gray) also scoring six per cent.

Omnipresent doctor Karl Kennedy ( Alan Fletcher ) was in sixth place with five per cent of the votes.

At the bottom of the poll were Declan Napier (James Sorensen) and Helen Daniels (Anne Haddy), who both managed just two per cent each.

Paul Johnston, Yahoo! TV editor, said: “Steph has beaten some classic soap favourites to take the lead spot as the nation’s favourite Neighbours character.

“By witnessing her develop from the tomboy with a passion for motorbikes to a loving mother she has been a regular in people’s living rooms for over a decade.

“Her battle with cancer is debatably one of the most emotional storylines in Neighbours history and guaranteed her place in the nation’s hearts.”